Boothroyd, Betty (1929-…), served as speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1992 until her retirement in 2000. She was the first woman speaker of the House of Commons. Boothroyd had previously been a member of the Speakers Panel (1979-1987) and then deputy speaker (1987-1992), as well as a member of the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee. She became known for her strong handling of the House of Commons and her determination to achieve orderly debate (see House of Commons ).
Boothroyd was born in Yorkshire on Oct. 8, 1929, and educated at Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art. She served as a Hammersmith Borough councilor, in London, between 1965 and 1968. She became a member of Parliament in 1973 for West Bromwich West, the constituency that she represented until her retirement in 2000. She was a member of the European Parliament from 1975 to 1977.
